This is one of the highest honors a music student can achieve. Students that participate in NYSSMA All-State are then nominated to participate in the Bi-Annual MENC All Eastern Honors groups. This All-State festival is after thanksgiving vacation and lasts three days. Students with very high marks are nominated and possibly selected to participate in an All-State performing ensemble.

Students must perform a level VI solo (the highest level) and must be accompanied by a pianist. Students in their sophomore and junior year are eligible to perform at NYSSMA All State. Although performing at NYSSMA is not a requirement for All-County nominations, participation is highly recommended. This honor group rehearses for three days and performs a concert. All fifth through twelfth grade students are eligible for nomination to their categorical division. The students are selected from nomination lists submitted by music teachers for consideration to perform in annual concerts. LISFA, (Long Island String Festival Association), and NMEA (Nassau Music Educator’s Association) are county music organizations that offer students the opportunity to perform with students from other districts in the annual All- County concert festivals throughout Nassau County. What is All-County, All-State, All-Eastern? The adjudication sheet will then be copied by our music department and used to assist in nominating students for possible participation in All-County, All-State, and All-Eastern groups. The student’s written evaluation provides positive, constructive criticism on the student’s performance, written by an adjudicator who specializes on the student’s particular instrument. Students who perform at the top three levels can receive a medal for their efforts.

Students that perform in an ensemble (duets, trios, etc.) will only perform the selected piece. Each student will receive his or her own adjudication sheet that explains the grade. The resultant ratings for levels I-IV are O for (outstanding), E (excellent), G (good), F (fair) and levels V-VI a letter grade will be determined by an overall performance score. Students will perform this before an official NYSSMA adjudicator. If a student performs as a soloist, he/she must prepare scales form memory, a solo form the official NYSSMA manual, and must sight-read eight measures of music.

Students may play more than one instrument (or voice) an ensemble. Many of our student musicians perform in the New York State School music Association (NYSSMA) Solo and ensemble festival.

Nyssma all county